1
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
this report is simply wretched—you'll have to rewrite it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pitiful
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a wretched lie
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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
lived alone in a wretched room in a run-down hotel
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
a wretched attempt at writing an original song
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5
as in unhappy
feeling unhappiness
she was wretched for weeks after breaking up with her boyfriend
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6
as in vile
not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency
his wretched treatment of women earned him a bad reputation
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7
as in terrible
of low quality
wretched goods that aren't even worth half of what the store is charging for them
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8
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
those wretched souls who cannot even afford a decent roof over their heads
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9
as in miserable
deserving pitying scorn (as for inadequacy)
the pampered socialite complained that the only room available was in a wretched little motel by the highway
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wretched
Disneyland has dropped reservation requirements for the once wildly popular Oga’s Cantina six years after the wretched hive of scum and villainy opened to hourslong standby lines that forced the Anaheim theme park to hastily install a reservation system.
—
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
The 1972 offensive had been wretched for AP, which was being regularly beaten by its main rival, United Press International.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
The wretched music alone is worth it, as is Victor Von Doom's henchman, who sounds like a little kid trying to impersonate Dracula.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Understandably, the mood was light: The Marlins had just claimed their sixth win in eight tries and second straight series victory, while Alcantara — in his second start after a wretched first half of 2025 — just posted one of his best outings of the season.
—Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025
The 1972 offensive had been wretched for AP, which was being regularly beaten by its main rival, United Press International.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
The wretched music alone is worth it, as is Victor Von Doom's henchman, who sounds like a little kid trying to impersonate Dracula.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Understandably, the mood was light: The Marlins had just claimed their sixth win in eight tries and second straight series victory, while Alcantara — in his second start after a wretched first half of 2025 — just posted one of his best outings of the season.
—Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wretched
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wretched
Adjective
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Can a horrible 17-year-old turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
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Can a 17-year-old horrible person turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pitiful screaming of surviving family members can be heard.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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As del Toro sees it, Frankenstein’s pitiful creation has been cursed with life, cannot be killed (even bullets don’t stop him) and must face the same existential crisis that confronts us all.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Not all of Mythopedia is so bleak—just my favorite parts.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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When kittens Sam and Frodo were found, survival odds were bleak.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The poll also found that 51% of respondents perceive the current state of the economy as poor, and 61% express a lack of confidence that the economy will improve next year.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
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Low User Adoption Due To Poor Onboarding The primary hurdle is often low user adoption due to poor onboarding and a steep learning curve.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kybella can be used as an alternative to surgery for patients who are unhappy with fat under their chin, also known as submental fullness, and have not seen improvement with diet and exercise, according to the manufacturers.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
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Folks felt exposed or excluded or some unhappy combination of both.—
Andrew Pasquier,
Them.,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Free speech scholars maintain the most vile and reprehensible speech, including that which celebrates someone's death, is legally protected — not from the consequences meted by private employers, but from government suppression.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Continue reading … INSTANT KARMA – School administrator who made vile Kirk assassination comment no longer employed.—
,
FOXNews.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Both films were saddled with terrible reviews and disappointing audience scores.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
21 Sep. 2025
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The thought of being separated from my third daughter, my work—too terrible for words.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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The festival was washed out by weather, promised luxury accommodations and food were nowhere to be found (except for some pathetic cheese sandwiches), and guests only stayed one night of what was supposed to be a two-week experience.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wretched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wretched. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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